Opinion

Q: Okay. If you want to start, you can make us the case, once again, why the Convention Center expansion is so essential to the future of San Diego or is it?TERZI: That’s a… it’s a leading question, but… yeah, I can tell you that we’ve been making the case over a lot of years, and the case probably is never stronger than it is today. When you look at the Convention Center and the capacity of the Convention Center and the demand for the Convention Center and the economic value of conventions they… they’re all increasing in spite of what some people might say in the industry that conventions are dying, convention centers are sitting there empty. That’s not the case for the top half a dozen convention centers around the country of which San Diego is, in… in my mind from a size and a scope standpoint, probably the number one sought after convention facility in the country. Now, there are many other cities that have larger facilities, … [Read more...] about Q&A: A Conversation with San Diego tourism officials

My office has received more than 183,000 letters, emails and phone calls opposing President Donald Trump’s immigration policies. It’s the most vocal outcry I’ve seen in some time, but it makes perfect sense — President Trump’s xenophobic policies stand in stark contrast to who we are as a nation.The latest proposal from the president is no better. He’s now suggesting that we only allow immigrants to enter the country who are wealthy or educated; who are not too old, too young, too poor or too desperate; and who can speak English. He adds that we should also turn away grandparents, brothers and sisters, and those most at risk to violence and poverty.That’s not the America I know. We need look no further than the Statue of Liberty for that lesson.The statue was completed in New York Harbor in 1886 and includes the most American of principles on its base. Most of us know at least a portion of the poem: “Give me your tired, your poor, your … [Read more...] about Commentary: Why Trump’s immigration proposal is un-American

Since the repeal of the vehicle habitation ordinance in February, we have seen a marked increase in campers in all San Diego beach areas. Vans easily make up the largest segment of the campers. You can google “van life” and see this as it is. It is a movement to a new and seemingly freer lifestyle. From what I have seen, the majority of “van lifers” are younger men and women between the ages of 20 and 40. They appear to be capable and healthy and are not what we typically think of as homeless. It is difficult to empathize with this group. Our beach parks and streets are not campgrounds. They were never meant to be campgrounds. They are for public use during daylight hours and early evening hours. If you are a resident or a visitor, you are all free to visit the beaches. If a person wants to camp, there are campgrounds for them. No one wants a camper in front of his or her home. It is not secure and it is not comfortable. Imagine a camper openly living in front … [Read more...] about Commentary: Why San Diego needs restrictions on living in cars

The San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) has proposed a new plan for regional transportation that would spend sales tax dollars to add hundreds of miles of high-speed transit lines throughout the county. While details are still forthcoming, critics oppose the shift in priorities because it would delay highway improvement and expansion projects that voters were promised when they approved the 2004 TransNet sales tax. Proponents of the proposal say the region needs SANDAG’s bold new vision to meet state-mandated emissions standards. Here three elected officials share their perspective on the issue.A balanced transportation system is critical to meet 21st-century needs. Let’s be realistic; freeways and roads are the backbone of our transportation system and essential to our economy. A common-sense approach to a future transportation system includes a functioning road network.In 2004, San Diegans voted to extend a half-cent sales tax for 40 years starting in 2008. In … [Read more...] about Commentary: Why San Diego won’t be scrapping its cars

A badly needed reform to the charter school authorization process, Assembly Bill 1505, is currently making its way through the Legislature. The measure will ensure that charter schools obey the law, do not stray from their stated mission and truly serve the communities where they are located. This proposal would allow locally elected school boards to make decisions around which charter schools open in their districts, and would allow locally elected leaders making these decisions to take into consideration the interest of all district students.California’s Charter Schools Act was enacted in 1992, and it was intended to provide an opportunity for local educators and parents to innovate, experiment and take risks trying things that might be restricted by education code or traditional district structures. The idea was to provide a kind of “research and development” lab that could develop educational models that could then be used throughout the school system.Since then, … [Read more...] about Commentary: Why local control is needed for charter schools